Danny sat at his desk muttering to himself. He was viewing something on his computer and writing down reams of information. This did not make sense to his partner as they had finally completed all their open cases except for those that had been assigned to a special group challenged with working only on cases not solved within twelve months. At the moment, no new cases had been assigned to them, so he had decided to try and finally make sense of his financial situation.
After listening to her partner complaining for thirty minutes she had heard enough. She stood up and walked over to the coffee machine and poured two cups of the mediocre brew and walked back to Danny's desk and sat down. "Here, drink this and then tell me, if you can, what you have been moaning about for the last thirty minutes. Is not having any open cases finally driven you off the deep end?"
Danny looked at his partner as if she were a stranger. He sighed, put down the pen in his hand and grabbed the cup she was offering. "What do you know about balancing a checkbook?" He took a sip and grimaced. "Where did you get this swill, the bathroom?" He put the cup down far away from all the paper strewn over his desk.
"Well, if we weren't forced to sit here waiting for a case, we could be somewhere that has good coffee, and you could explain to me all the moaning and groaning I've had to listen to lately. And what do you mean, can I balance a checkbook? Of course I can, I've done my own finances since I graduated high school and was forced to live on my own."
"Your parents kicked you out? What could you have done…"
"I wanted to be a cop and my family didn't approve of my choice. So, it was change what I wanted to be; become a checker in the bodega across the street. I found someone who would let me share an apartment and got a job as a waitress and another part time job till I could get into the academy. So, yeah, I learned real fast how to handle my money to achieve what I wanted. Would you like me to help you out? If you need some extra cash…"
"No, that's not my problem, but thank you. When the house burned down, we lost most of the records Linda had saved since we got married. She always paid the bills and knew what we had to spend which wasn't much. But she did a great job. When I had to take over, I had no idea what to do with money and paying bills. I mean, I understand the theory that you can't spend what you don't have but that first year I had more times where my cards were declined because I forgot to pay the bill. Sean has been trying to help and convinced me to do this online, but I really don't get it. Do you understand how it works online?"
"Yes, I've been doing my finances online for years. No paper to get lost and it's better for the planet. But I also understand why you might be frustrated. It's almost lunch, how about if we ask for the rest of the day and get out of here? It might be easier if we do this at your place. Once I can see where your issues are I can give you a better idea of how long it will take but, depending on what your issues are, it shouldn't take long."
"Partner, I like the way you think." He started making one big pile of paper. "Is there a box somewhere?" He began looking around the squad room. "Why don't you go ask Gee if we can leave while I find something to hold all this? Then, we'll stop and get lunch to go and see if you can make heads or tails of this mess."
Maria walked to the office and received permission for them to leave. Then, she returned to find Danny had found a box and was almost finished cleaning up the mess on his desk. They headed out and climbed into Danny's car. Stopping on the way to pick up lunch they finally arrived at their destination. They decided to eat before cluttering up the table with all the documentation Danny had printed out. While eating Maria started to gather information. She began writing down all the credit cards Danny had along with bank accounts, outstanding loans, as well as all of the financial obligations he could remember. After clearing the lunch debris Danny started to bring out all the paper. There were more stacks than would fit on the table and he started making piles on the sofa and chairs.
"Danny, let's stop for a minute. I've been thinking about the best way to attack this problem and for right now, I want to get some information from you. Please come and sit while I make some notes. They sat side by side while Maria wrote down the detailed information about bank accounts, how many credit cards, outstanding loans, college bills including tuition, mortgage information, utilities, and any other monthly payments that Danny could remember. With that information, Maria found a predefined spreadsheet she could tweak that would give her the details she wanted to develop a financial plan. Danny watched her as she started adding information and quickly became confused. Rather than annoy his partner, he decided to make some coffee and take care of the lunch debris.
Maria was still very involved in data entry, so Danny next tackled the laundry which hadn't been done in at least two weeks. While that was running, he tackled the dirty dishes that had accumulated over the week. He continued to busy himself with the chores he rarely tackled as the piles of paper started to be moved from one side of the table back into the box. Suddenly, she stopped typing and concentrated on one pile. She began sorting the pile into a more logical order and resumed the data entry. It began to get dark, so Danny turned on the lights in the dining area. The laundry was almost finished, and his stomach was starting to remind him that it was almost dinner time.
He stood behind Maria and watched her fingers fly, entering numbers and occasional comments. She paused for a moment and reviewed what she had entered. Pleased with how much she had reviewed and entered into the spreadsheet, she relaxed in her chair and called out to her partner, "Danny, can you come here, please?"
"I'm right behind you… "
Maria screamed, "What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?"
"Of course not, I've just been standing here watching your fingers fly on the keyboard. So, did you find out that I really have a million bucks?"
"Sorry, no millions but I think you have more than you might realize and, if you make a few, well thought out changes you could really see a difference in how much you do have. But, right now I'm starving, do you have anything we can cook for dinner?"
"Uh, other than a piece of cheese and a few bottles of beer, there's not much in the fridge. I've mostly been eating out since Sean moved to the campus, sorry."
"And I think that's going to be the first, big change we make. But for tonight, how about we order some pizza and salad, and I can tell you what I have found so far and what we can do to make sense of all this mess of paper." She reached for her wallet and tried to hand Danny some money.
"No way, partner. If you can make this into something I understand, I'm gonna owe you way more than this."
"Are you sure? I don't mind, you know. You've always treated me as an equal…"
"And I always will. Let me make the call and then if you'll tell me how to move the papers so things are still in order…"
"Let me visit the little girls' room first. Be right back," said Maria. She turned down the hall and found the downstairs bathroom. Danny called and placed their order and then got out plates and silverware along with glasses filled with ice and water. Maria came back and directed where the piles should be placed so she could continue with the data entry. The food arrived and both dug in and enjoyed chatting about Danny's sons away at college.
"So, what were you doing while I was working my way through all the papers?" asked Maria.
"Well, I did all my laundry, ran the dishwasher, stripped my bed and remade it, removed some moldy food from the fridge, emptied trash cans and marveled at how much you've done in so little time."
"Well, I've just been building the spreadsheet. I'll bet you have no idea how much you spend on eating out. Do you ever eat at home?"
Danny just looked at the salad he was eating. "It's no fun to eat alone," he whispered. Then he began playing with the greens in the bowl.
"I can understand that, but do you realize that what you spend each week could cover all your meals for the month? And that's twenty-one meals each week. Besides, I'll bet that what you've been eating is high in carbs, fat, and sugar and missing fiber, vegetables, and nutrients. And if one half of what you're spending covers your bar bill, that's just empty calories that put weight on and take money out of your wallet."
"Linda would never let me eat like I do now." He sighed and then looked at his partner. "I need to do better but I need help. Guess I could eat more often with Dad and Pops but it's a long ride over there and then back here. So, what do you suggest?"
"How about this: Every Saturday morning we meet in a grocery store and buy meat enough to last all week, fresh veggies for Monday through Wednesday. Then, we cook the meat and make meal packets for Monday lunch and dinner, Tuesday lunch and dinner and Wednesday lunch and dinner. On Wednesday, get more fresh veggies and make up packets for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Now, if you don't want to get fresh veggies mid-week or you don't have time, we'll also get some frozen veggies and use those for the end of the week."
"That could work, I guess. But you know how well I cook, can you help? Please?"
"Of course, we'll start on Saturday. Now, do you remember what accounts Sean set up for you to access online?"
"We only got the checking account set up. It was more than I could handle so we never got any other accounts done. I have the information Sean gave me to get into the account and I'm guessing you'll need that, right?"
Danny got his laptop and was able to get to the website and enter his information. Maria clicked around the web site seeing the various functions that were included. "Okay, this looks similar to my bank. Now, this page shows you your different options, the different accounts you can access. Click here and you can see your primary checking account. From the entries it looks like you use your ATM card almost every day. Here you can see the date, the name of the place where you used the card as well as how much you spent. The date here is the date the bank deducted money from your account, not the day you wrote out the check or used the debit part of the ATM card. This line is a scheduled deposit to the account, looks like your paycheck and here is the date the money will actually be in your account. This page shows the bills that have been set up to pay online if you had set them up. Are you still writing out checks by hand, Danny?"
"Yeah, as long as I have checks, I have money, right?" Danny asked.
She gave him a look that told him how wrong he was. "This page shows you some money that has been used to purchase something called CD's or Certificates of Deposit. It's like a savings account but you can't take money out except when the certificate is mature. They are probably set up to automatically roll over for the same duration each time. There's a nice little nest egg; later I'll dig into them more and see the details. Do you have a list of the checks you've written this month?"
Danny stood up and went into his bedroom. He came back with an old-fashioned checkbook that contained a register that was used to record each time a check was used, who it was made out to and the amount. Maria quickly added the information to her spreadsheet. "Danny, you've recorded every check in here? How about whenever you get cash, do you have a list of those transactions?"
"I rarely use the ATM to get cash, but I have used the card like a credit card. Sorry, but I'm not sure where I put those receipts. Is that a big deal?" asked Danny.
"No, the transactions are recorded on your statements, and we can see the total amounts online. Would it be a big deal if you didn't use some of your cards for a month? I want to have no transactions for one billing cycle for each card and your ATM card. Something else to consider is the cards you have. We may be able to find cards with better interest rates. There are also cards that refund some of what you spend each month. But, until I can get all the information into a format that makes it easy to see what you have, how much you owe and so forth, we'll leave things as they are. I can do some research and find some options. We can also see if the bank you're using is giving you the best value for your money. Hopefully, I'll get the rest of the data entered and then we'll see exactly how much you owe and what the interest rates are so we know what to pay off first. Then, we might want to cash the CD's as they mature and find a better place to put the money and get either a better interest rate or perhaps invest in the market. But I think I'm about done with this for tonight. We can start up tomorrow after work if that's okay. I should be able to get most of it done by the weekend. Would you mind if I took some of the documents with me to continue working on the spreadsheet?"
"How about if I give you dinner and we work here together? Not that I don't trust you, you know I do but that way I can answer any questions you might ask. But right now, I have a question for you."
She looked at him for a moment, "Okay, ask your question."
"You really do all this online?"
She chuckled, "Danny, last time I went to my bank it was to sign the mortgage for my condo. I've set up automatic deductions to pay my mortgage and taxes, I pay my credit cards online, and I can't remember the last time I got cash from a machine. Just about everyone now takes plastic even for small amounts. Paying online is so much faster. I can get alerts on my phone if someone tries to use my cards. I worked with the companies whose cards I have so the billing cycle ends just before my paycheck is deposited in the second half of the month. The first paycheck pays the mortgage and at the end of the month whatever is left over I add to my savings account. When that gets to a certain amount, I move it to an account where I can invest the money. How else did you think I could afford to buy my little bar in Aruba? I don't have someone to depend on for my future except me. If I don't look out for myself…"
"I'll always have your back." He reached out and held her hand.
"And I'll always be here for you. But it's getting late." She picked up her phone to call for a car.
"I'll take you home, it's the least I can do. But first, let me put these pages somewhere so they won't be disturbed." They worked together moving everything and then he drove her home. During the ride they set up a schedule for Maria to continue the work she had been doing. Once this was done, they would review what Danny was spending and how he could pay off the loans he had and still be able to help the boys with college. Then, she would help him become more comfortable with setting up online access to his accounts.
One week later, Friday night
Maria had entered almost all of the information in the spreadsheet, and it was time to review the data. Danny was getting used to shopping for food instead of doing take out and was starting to see the benefits both in the way his clothes were fitting and in his bank balance. They weren't scheduled to work the weekend and decided to look at all the information after cooking his food for the next few days and making a sort of celebratory dinner.
Everything was cleaned up, leftovers put away for a few meals and now Danny would get to see his financial picture. Maria handed him a synopsis of what his income was, his normal monthly bills and then she had some questions.
"Danny, in entering the data I came across a few things that don't seem right." She pulled out several credit card statements and spread them out. "These three reports are from two years ago and these five are from this year. Have you made any changes lately in who you have for the services here at the house? Are you paying anything for the boys at school other than the dorm, meal plan, cell phones, etc.?"
"No, I'm not sure how I would do that but I'm guessing you've found something."
"As you can see on the earlier dates reports, just about all your expenses for this card have been restaurants, grocery stores, and looks like a new suit or two." He looked over the statements. "Now, check this out, for the last five months you've been paying for two services for your television, internet and telephone service in the house." She had underlined the items so Danny could see them easily.
"No, I haven't heard of that company. But, just to be sure, let me call the boys." He reached for his cell phone and dialed Sean putting the phone on speaker. "Hey, kid, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Dad, what can I do?"
"Get your brother on the phone and set up a call for the three of us. I need to check up on how you're doing and trying to maybe go and see your brother. Call me when you've got him online, okay?"
"Shouldn't take me long, call you right back." The call was discontinued, and they waited for his phone to ring again. Danny refilled their coffee cups and finally the phone rang.
"Hey, Dad, it's Sean and Jack is also here."
"Hi, Dad. How's things?"
"Not bad, right now for some reason the city is a little quiet so right now we only have one active case. We should wrap that up tomorrow and I was thinking of seeing you, Jack, since I haven't seen you in months."
"That would be great, Dad. Next week school is closed for three days for some seminar regarding changes that are being mandated by the state and all the instructors must attend. Just let me know when you want to be here. With not as many students on campus, I can probably get you a room for almost nothing."
"Sounds good, Jack, maybe your brother can get away as well. It will be really nice to be with both of my sons. Now, you remember how Mom took care of all the finances for the family, paying our bill on time, tuition and all that good stuff. I haven't been doing a good job and so I got some professional help. You both remember Maria, my partner?" They did. "She's been helping me, and she convinced me that I need to get all this stuff paid online. She's going to work with me and show me how to set up access to my credit cards and access to my accounts at the banks. Stuff you kids do all the time. Computers and I haven't had the best relationship but that's going to change. As part of this project, she took all my statements and bills and anything having to do with money and made this huge spreadsheet. Did mom ever discuss this stuff with you guys?" No, she did not. "Well, it seems she would save a few dollars here and there and save it up. I never knew about these things she set up called Certificates of Deposit and there's a nice bit of change in the accounts. My next big treat is Maria is going to show me investing this money to make more money so I may be able to help both of you pay down your student loans. But this doesn't mean go and spend money but I'm hearing some really sad stories about kids having over one hundred thousand dollars in student loans and they won't be able to pay that off for twenty to thirty years. I'm pretty sure it won't pay for everything, but it will be a start."
"Dad, that's great," said Sean and Jack agreed.
"Now, Maria has a question for you."
"Hi, guys, it's nice to hear from both of you. In entering all this data I found some transactions on one of the cards your dad uses and before I report this as fraud to the credit card company we need to be sure it's not something either of you have set up. So, have you used any of Dad's cards for anything beyond school expenses? That would be dorm charges, meal plan, tuition, books?" Neither one admitted to doing so. "So, you've never heard of," and she named the company. "The charges are for internet, telephone and television." Again, they denied using the card. "Glad to hear that. Dad and I will follow up with the company tomorrow and get the charges dismissed. Thank you."
"So, guys, since we're all on the phone, anything new going on?" They talked for the next twenty minutes about the project Jack was doing and Sean's acceptance into a program to help reduce his tuition costs by working on campus. The call ended and Maria told Danny what needed to be done regarding the fraudulent charges. They looked back for the past year looking for charges for small amounts of money that didn't seem to be familiar to Danny. They gathered the documents and created their plan for addressing the problem. Then, Maria began frying some pastelillos and warming her dark chocolate sauce. Danny found a movie for them to watch while eating his favorite dessert.
2 AM
"Danny, wake up." She waited just a bit. "Danny, please, I need to do something and if I don't get up, you're not gonna be happy." She began pushing him off her. Finally, she could get off the sofa and she ran to the bathroom. Danny woke up and looked around. Finally, she came back to the living room. "Guess we both fell asleep, Danny."
"I'm sorry, but I slept pretty good. How about we head upstairs? What time did you want to hit the stores?" Danny stood up and started checking the doors. Maria picked up the dirty dishes and brought them into the kitchen. She rinsed them and put them in the dishwasher. Danny walked into the kitchen and noticed the dishwasher was full. He filled the soap dispenser and turned the machine on. Then he filled the coffee carafe with water and filled the coffee maker with water and coffee grounds and set the timer for 0800. Then he picked up Maria's bag and took it upstairs for her. He set it in the guest bedroom, said good night and entered his room.
The next morning
After breakfast they created their own shopping lists and headed to the grocery store. Maria continued coaching Danny so he could get the most out of the money he was spending on groceries. They completed their stops including the dry cleaner and headed back to Danny's home. Together they decided what to cook tomorrow after church and before family dinner for Danny's meals Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Danny would be cooking dinner for them tonight while Maria prepared the information so Danny could start thinking about changes he could make for a better financial future. He prepared the meat to be roasted as well as the broccoli and salad veggies. He stripped the beds, remade them with fresh sheets, washed the dirty sheets then gathered the trash cans to be emptied. Then the vacuum came out of the closet and was used upstairs and on the main level. The first load in the washing machine was done so it was moved to the dryer and the second load was started. He put the meat in to roast and noticed that Maria wasn't sitting at the table. Instead, she was sitting on the sofa looking like a 'lady of leisure' watching Danny work. She had a glass in her hand, but it appeared empty. He walked closer to her and was trying to decide what to say.
Maria held the glass out to him, "Danny, my glass is empty and I'm thirsty." She smiled at him and batted her eyelashes.
"You look like you wanted to say something else."
"Well, if you really want to know what was running through my mind is you're doing a great job here. Maybe next weekend you'd like to go to my place and do the same. But I think you should be wearing something more appropriate."
Danny stood there, amazed at what she said. "Did you have something in mind?"
She looked him up and down. "Something that shows off your physique. With the changes in eating habits, you look like you've been working out. Your muscles seem to have more definition and you're looking really good. So, maybe a pair of those tiny shorts to show off those leg muscles and a sleeveless tee shirt that's short and doesn't hide those abs that you seem to be developing." The expression on her face was something he'd never seen on her.
He sauntered over to her, "If you weren't my partner and we didn't know each other for so long and as well as we do, I might have to consider harassment charges." He relaxed just a bit. "But you really think you can see the changes?"
"Yes, I do. I think I'm going to have to begin carrying a bat when we go out to keep all those women in line. You will be attracting them, you know."
"And how do you feel about that, Maria?" He sat down next to her on the sofa.
She paused and took time to contemplate exactly what she wanted to say. "I might need two bats to drive them off. No one is getting between us. Understand? No. One." She moved closer to him until their legs were touching. "Forget Maggie the medium and that blonde Medical Examiner. Understand? Danny?"
Danny was finding it hard to breathe. He could feel his heart beating faster than normal and his mouth was dry. "I never did see myself with Maggie. But Megan in the ME's office?" He thought for a moment. "She's cute and nice but she doesn't hold a candle to the woman I really think about. Now, I think it's time I go check the meat." He stood up and walked away. Maria sat there trying to decide what her next move should be. She walked over near the kitchen but not in it. Danny had opened the oven and was turning the pan around. The aroma was mouthwatering and Maria was suddenly hungry. But not only for dinner but for something else. She just hoped he would be ready soon.
After dinner
Maria gave Danny one sheet of paper that contained a summation about how much money he made, how much he had in outstanding loans, current monthly bills, and a total of how much money was in savings accounts. Next, she presented him with information about his spending habits in the past and how much he was saving now by preparing meals at home. And the added benefit of losing weight and becoming more fit encouraged him. Next, she looked at different scenarios and the impact of a few changes in spending habits. Finally, she looked at the outstanding loans and credit card balances. She hoped that the card that had probably been used fraudulently would reimburse Danny for those expenses. She calculated a few different scenarios for paying off the loans as quickly as possible without affecting his ability to pay the normal, monthly bills.
Maria paused to allow Danny to make sense of all the information. She looked at her phone and noticed the time. She opened an app to get a car to come and pick her up. Danny noticed and asked why she needed a car.
"It's late, Danny and if you drive me home, you'll have to drive all the way back here and you have to be up for mass and dinner at your Dad's place."
"Or I could drive you home, spend the night and then we could both go to church and then dinner."
"Are you sure, Danny? I know I said some things earlier, but we also agreed to wait until…"
"I don't think I'm ready to make love to you yet, but I would like to see if what we have right now can be more. I hope we can be together. I know the commissioner doesn't approve but if we're careful I don't see any harm in having dinner together with my best friend. And I would really love it if you could join us to go visit Jack, but I understand if that's too much too soon."
Maria reached out for Danny's hands. "I would love to have dinner with you, anytime, anywhere. I know I have feelings for you, but we can take it slow. I'm not sure what we can do to avoid a charge of conduct unbecoming and I don't want to lose you as my partner. Or we could both retire and no one could stop us. But for now, I like your plan. Pack your bag and then, would you mind driving me home?" She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.
Danny kissed her back; "Give me five minutes and I'll be ready to leave." He headed up the stairs while Maria took care of the papers on the table. Life was looking promising; she just needed to be a little bit patient.
Sunday
They both forgot to set an alarm and they woke up too late to get breakfast. They arrived at church just in time but had to sit right next to the center aisle. The sermon was especially long today and Danny's stomach was complaining. He could hardly sit still and Maria kept trying to make him settle down. Finally, the service was over, and people were heading out. Danny grabbed Maria's hand and just about ran down the aisle. At the door, they said a hurried 'Good day' to the priest and headed toward his car. At about the halfway point her phone began to ring. They stopped so she could answer it. She didn't recognize the number but answered the call.
"Baez," she said. She listened for a moment. "Yes, sir, he's right here. Do you want to talk to him?" Another pause, then, "Yes, sir, of course. We'll head right back. See you shortly." Maria put the phone back in her pocket and started back in the direction of the church.
"Okay, who was that and why are we going back?" asked Danny.
"That was the commissioner and he needs you back at the church. And before you panic, nothing is wrong. It's something the Monsignor wants. And the faster you get there, the sooner you can leave."
"Do you have any idea how hungry I am?"
"I think the entire congregation could hear your stomach."
They laughed the entire walk back to the church. They found Frank and Henry waiting for them.
"Danny, the Monsignor would like us to help him with something. Did you drive here alone?"
"No, Maria came with me."
Frank thought for a minute. "Well, I was going to send Pops home in my car but what do you think about Maria taking him home in your car and then you'll come back to the house with me?"
"Let me talk to her." He walked away and discussed the options with Maria. He handed her the keys, begged her to be careful with his baby and watched as she drove away in his car. She picked up Henry and headed back to the family home. After getting Henry home safe she would go home and change then drive to Danny's home and get him some more relaxed clothes and then return to the family home. Henry made Maria a sandwich and told her about some of his more interesting cases while he was on the job. Henry checked on the roast and it was almost time to take it out of the oven. Maria helped him prepare the vegetables and salad then she set the table. Just as she finished, the phone rang.
Henry picked it up, "Hello?" he listened for a moment. "Really? Is this something serious?" Maria was wondering who it was. "Fine, we'll see you then." He looked at Maria. "You'll never guess who that was."
"You're right, Pops, I have no idea."
"That was Joe Hill. He'll be here for dinner and he's bringing someone with him. And Erin let me know that Jack will be here as well so even though you did a great job, we're going to have to take everything off and add another leaf to the table. We'll need a new tablecloth as well." Henry showed her where everything was kept, and she began her task. By the time she finished Frank and Danny had arrived. Danny ran upstairs to change while Frank noticed the extra chairs at the table.
"Pops, how many are we expecting today?"
"Joe called and he's bringing someone with him. Someone special. And Erin said Jack will be here as well. Good thing Erin brought a big roast. And thanks to Maria, everything has been prepped and we can start cooking the vegetables in just a bit."
"Danny's starving, is there anything he can have while we wait for everyone?" asked Frank.
"Maria made him a sandwich and he can have it as soon as he comes down. Everything all right with the Monsignor?"
"Yeah, he would like Danny to help him with some of the more difficult youth. Walter is going to bring them down to Danny's precinct and he will put some of them behind bars, a few others into the interview rooms in cuffs and then let Danny show them what they can expect from life if they continue on their current paths."
"Why don't you see if you can get one of the jail transport vehicles to bring them from church to the precinct?"
"Great idea, Pop, thanks. I'll call Walter later."
After dinner
The ladies took care of getting the food on the table while the men poured wine for those who wanted wine and water for everyone. Joe's date, Amanda Pollard, seemed to enjoy meeting the family. She came from a large family; her mother taught at the local parochial elementary school and her father had been with the sanitation department since graduating from high school. An injury after twenty years of work left him physically unable to do the job he had done for so long but after some training he became an expert with computers and was now second in command of the Information Technology Department in the Sanitation Department.
Amanda was currently working as an Investigative Specialist for ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) and had been working undercover when she met Joe. A situation was about to get out of hand and Joe helped Amanda restore control, apprehend the person causing the problem and see that said person was turned over to NYPD for appropriate charges. They had begun dating the next day and each felt as if they had met their soulmate. Even Joe's mother approved.
Frank and Henry were in the kitchen. Frank was making another pot of coffee while Henry readied the dessert. Amanda had made a fruit trifle to share, and Eddie had brought some homemade cookies. Frank looked at his children, grandsons, and their partners. "You know Pop, looking at the group sitting at the table I couldn't be prouder of them. They all seem to be intelligent, respectful, and respectable people. But I may have to summon one of them to 1PP. I can't tell if the oldest is crossing the line in his relationship. What do you think?"
"I think he deserves to be happy and if she makes him happy, fine. I think they're smart enough to keep it out of the office. Have you heard anything from anyone?"
"The only thing I hear from their boss is that for the last four years they have been in the top three teams in the city for solved cases and guilty parties being sentenced for their crimes and Mike wishes he had a few more teams like them. She keeps him in line while still allowing his inherent knowledge and skill to hunt out the guilty parties. They're even better than that cop show years ago where they always got the guilty party." Danny came into the kitchen to see if they needed help. He brought out the coffee pot while Amanda came and picked up the dessert. Henry had the dishes while Frank had the coffee cups.
Conversation continued for another hour and then the guests headed out for their homes.
"Amanda, it has been wonderful to meet you," said Pop. "You understand service as we do. I hope we will see you every Sunday. Even if this guy claims he's working you are welcome at this table any time." He kissed her on the cheek and gave her a hug.
"Thank you, sir, being here has been like being at my parents' home, like family. I have enjoyed meeting all of you and look forward to seeing all of you again, but not while I'm working. That might be awkward." Everyone laughed and said goodnight to Amanda and Joe. Jamie and Eddie followed next and then Erin, Jack, Danny, Sean and Maria made the trek to the front door. Frank stood in the doorway watching each car as it drove off. Danny didn't open the car door for Maria, they didn't hold hands while walking to the car and Frank was hoping that the anonymous tip that had been left regarding possible conduct unbecoming would be unfounded. He would call their boss first thing and meet with them and Lieutenant Gee before noon tomorrow.
Monday morning
Maria was already at her desk when Danny walked through the door. He had stayed up late reviewing some of the information Maria had left him and they had more work to do so he could determine the changes he would feel were appropriate and worth the extra effort. Danny stopped to pick up a cup of the house beverage and walked to his desk.
"Good morning, partner, anything exciting come in over the weekend."
"Well, yes, there were several cases but we're not going to be assigned anything yet. This morning, we have to review all our DD5's and then wait for, and I quote, 'Further Instructions'. What kind of trouble are we in?"
"You? In trouble? That's not likely to happen. Me, just breathing I can get into trouble. Have you talked to Mike?"
"Just about thirty seconds, enough time for him to tell me to review the DD5's and stay at my desk." She leaned forward, "Do you think someone saw us at church? We didn't do anything…"
"Maybe it was when you tried to push me into the freezer at the grocery store."
"Well, you were behaving like a five-year-old and I was hoping the freezer would help you to chill." Just then she looked up and saw their boss headed right for their desks.
"About time, Danny, stay out late last night?" asked Mike Gee.
"No, as a matter of fact I was home, doors locked and about to climb into bed at 2145 when my boys called, and we talked for about an hour. Want to see my call log?"
Mike just stared at him for a minute. He handed Danny a stack of forms about an inch thick. "Here's your pile, Baez already has her pile. Review every form and be sure all the boxes are filled out, the 'I's are dotted and the 'T's are crossed. Each box should be legible so none of your chicken scratch. Bring them to me when you're both done. I'll see what else I can find for you two to handle." He turned and walked away. They concentrated on their tasks and finished within an hour. Maria handed her forms to Danny and he gave her his forms so they could review the forms. No mistakes were found so they sat there. They didn't have long to wait.
Mike came walking toward them. "Reagan, in the box, now. Give me your gun and shield. Baez, go to my office but give me your gun and shield." They looked at each other both thinking that this couldn't be good but did as had been requested and headed for their destinations. Everyone in the squad room was speechless. Danny being in trouble was nothing new, but his partner was never in trouble
Maria entered the office and found Frank sitting at the desk. "Please close the door, Detective and have a seat."
"I think I'd rather stand, sir."
Frank looked at her but she was standing at attention, and he wasn't in her field of vision. "Consider that an order, Detective." Maria sat in the chair opposite Frank seated behind the desk. "I have a list of questions to ask. I would appreciate your help with this issue. Are you sleeping with your partner?"
Maria stared at him. She had just enjoyed dinner at the Reagan family home yesterday. And now she was being asked who she was sleeping with? "Are the rest of your questions similar to that one, sir?"
"What if they are?"
She stood up again at attention. "I want my lawyer and PBA rep present before I answer any questions. Sir."
"Really? Maria, I wouldn't have expected this from you, how long has this been going on?"
"I want my lawyer and PBA rep present before I answer any questions. Sir."
Frank was frustrated. It could be hours before he could expect the PBA rep to appear, and he had no idea how long it would take for her lawyer…He began tapping his fingers on his desk frustrated that this intelligent detective who would have many more awards and commendations in her file if her partner were anyone else requested that her legal rights be respected. "Over the weekend, there was a call to the Anonymous Tip Line for Police Conduct that my son is guilty of conduct unbecoming. Now, will you answer my questions?"
"I want my lawyer and PBA rep present before I answer any questions. Sir."
He sighed, then stood up. "Stay here. I'll be back shortly." He walked over to the door and opened it. The first police officer who walked by was asked to guard the door and be sure the person inside did not try to leave the office. He set off to find the lieutenant questioning Danny.
Mike closed the door behind Danny and told him to have a seat. He pulled out a piece of paper and asked him several questions. When they finished, he instructed Danny to stay put. "And if you think I'm kidding I've got my cuffs here and I will handcuff you to the table. Do I need to do that?"
"No, Mike, I'll stay here but what's going on?"
"When I know, you'll know. Stay put." He left the small room leaving a very frustrated detective sitting alone.
When Frank saw Mike outside in the hall he walked up to him and closed the door to the room where Danny was waiting so he could only imagine what they were discussing. Mike showed him the piece of paper in his hand and Frank compared it to the answers Maria had given. "I think we have the truth here. I have a few questions for my son. Wait here, please." Frank entered the small room where Danny was waiting. "Did you answer these questions honestly?"
"Do you think I would lie? Really?"
"Your partner was asked the same questions; would you like to know what she said?"
"I have no idea what she said. I know she wouldn't lie, either."
"Her answer was, and I quote, 'I want my lawyer and PBA rep present before I answer any questions. Sir.' End quote. Now, what is going on between you two?"
"She's my partner, I've known her for almost twenty years. On Saturday she helped me with grocery shopping. At one point I was behaving like a five-year-old and she treated me like a five-year-old. She threatened to put me in the freezer and leave me there until I could behave. We were both laughing so hard I think some of the customers may have thought we were nuts. Certifiably crazy - EDP's on the loose. But I haven't laughed so much in five years, Dad. She makes me feel good. I don't tell jokes; she listens to me but doesn't judge me. She's my best friend. I would NEVER do anything to put her in jeopardy in her life or in her career.
"Do you remember when her brother was killed? He had been working with the DEA and the drug dealers killed him. His name was Javier and he used drugs for years. Maria rarely saw him, but he got cleaned up and had a job, a good job. He wanted to prove to her that he was clean and sober. He helped us get the guys, but one was about to shoot Maria when Javi stepped between her and the dealer. He died in her arms. She told me then that she never worries if I'll have her back and she never will have to worry if anyone has her back as long as I'm alive. So, if acting like an EDP is conduct unbecoming, guess I'm guilty. Now, can we get back to work?"
"Danny, what do you see in the future between the two of you? And I'm asking as your father, not the commissioner."
"I'd marry her tomorrow if she said yes. We both love what we do and right now, the rules don't permit us to have both the job and each other. That sucks. We can either be cops who are great at what we do, or we can be together and get jobs that we hate."
"If I can find a way to keep both of you here and still have a life outside of work?"
"Then, as long as we're still working together, you'd make both of us happy. And we'd get to keep being the best at solving cases and catching perps."
"Well, don't do anything yet. Keep all your actions above board. You know your brother tried that 'she's my partner and I did what I did because she's my partner, not because she and I are sleeping together' so don't try it on me. It won't work. I left your partner sitting in Mike's office. Let's go down there; she's probably wondering if you're still alive and if she still has her job." Frank and Danny walked to Mike's office. Maria had grown tired of standing and was sitting in the chair in front of the lieutenant's desk. When the door opened, she jumped up.
"Baez, relax. We're okay. Have a seat," said Danny as he walked in. He pulled a chair from the wall over to the desk and sat down.
Maria sat down but kept looking from Danny to Frank. "Will someone tell me what the h#LL is going on? Why did we have to give Mike our guns and shields?"
"Detective Baez, Lieutenant Gormley received a message on the Anonymous tip line saying that Detective Reagan was guilty of 'Conduct Unbecoming' and this is something we at 1PP take very seriously. However, I believe my son when he says his behavior has never risen to that level. He may have, in the past, been very close to the line in how he handled suspects but for the past few years I don't think his name has crossed my desk in a civilian complaint. He says if it wasn't for you, he might have been terminated a long time ago. So, I thank you and apologize for accusing both of you of something before doing an investigation. Guess I've forgotten how to be a good detective.
"Now, I have to ask - how were you going to get him into the freezer at the store?"
"To be honest, I had no idea but he was acting like a child and we had to finish shopping so we could get back to his home and start cooking." She paused here and looked at Danny. "Shouldn't we tell him everything?"
Danny thought for a moment. "You may be right. Dad, got plans for lunch?"
"I think my schedule just opened up. Let me call Baker and let her know." Frank picked up his phone and called Detective Baker. She suggested The Wild Son Lunch Counter. Frank told her there would be four in their party and they would be there in forty-five minutes and disconnected the call. "Abigail suggested a place that sounds just perfect for you, Danny. It's called The Wild Son and it's over on the east side." Maria and Danny looked at each other and started to laugh.
"Dad, that sounds perfect. Thanks."
"Would you mind finding Lieutenant Gee and asking him to come back to his office?"
Danny did as he was asked. "Just so you know, Detective Baez, I admire that you did everything by the book today. But next time, maybe you could tell me what's going on?"
"Not without Danny agreeing first. I will never put my partner out on a limb. I had no idea what he would say. And unless he says I can tell you something, it stays with me."
The door opened and Danny walked in. "Mike is out of the building, but I've left him a message to call me or you."
Frank stood up, "Let's get out of here. When we're on our way I'll have Abigail call him and ask him to join us. Shall we?"
"Dad, what about our guns and shields?"
"Mike left them at your desks. Go get them and we'll head out." He turned around and headed for the door leading outside. His detail was there, ready to take him wherever he needed to be. Frank gave them the name of the place and the address. He spoke to Abigail, but she told him Lieutenant Gee would be unable to join them. He had been summoned to be with his wife and son at the doctor's office. She had also let the restaurant know that it would be a party of three, not four. Frank thanked her and waited for Danny and Maria to appear. They walked out of the building and Frank informed them about the change and Danny decided to drive to the restaurant.
The meal was excellent, and Maria and Danny were looking forward to the changes that would enable them to move forward. But first they had a weekend with Danny's boys to enjoy. That night, they talked on the phone to discuss the trip. They had both requested vacation days for Wednesday through Friday. They weren't scheduled to be on call, so they had several days to spend with the boys.
Sunday night, after Family Dinner
Danny and Maria were driving Sean back to his campus. "Dad, I'm so glad we could go visit Jack. I just wish he wasn't so far away so we could see him more often."
"Me too. Glad you enjoyed the trip." He looked over at Maria. She had a smile on her face. "Did you have fun, Maria?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, I really did. Your boys are such wonderful young men. Any young woman would be lucky to have them as a friend or even a girlfriend. But I think they're a bit young for marriage. They need to finish school and find a job before thinking about getting serious. Linda did such a good job raising them."
"Hey, I helped. Okay, I didn't help much but you're right. They are great kids." He looked in the rear-view mirror and saw that Sean had leaned his head back and seemed to be sleeping. He reached over and held onto his partner's hand. She looked at him and smiled. They had agreed to keep this out of the office as well as to be low key when out in public. This was new for both of them but something they agreed they wanted. Danny brought her hand up near his face and he kissed it. She smiled at him and knew he was happy. He smiled back and drove a little faster so he could drop Sean off and then talk, just the two of them, without anyone around. Danny was finally ready to tell Maria that he was ready - ready to see what their future might hold and ready to tell her how much he loved her.